PARKSVILLE — One of the region’s signature jewels is scheduled for a multi-year overhaul.
Crews are embarking on the first of what the City of Parksville expects will be a three-year project to replace the half-kilometere waterfront boardwalk at the Community Park.
The City’s communications manager Deb Tardiff told NanaimoNewsNOW crews will begin to address a little over 4,000 square foot section of boardwalk on Monday, Sept. 9.
“This year we’re looking at that area in front of the waterfront gazebo that really gets the most traffic and is the most worn and is a bit of a problem for people with mobility issues.”
The highlighted section of boardwalk is scheduled to be replaced in the coming weeks. (City of Parksville)Tardiff said the affected area will be barricaded and closed for public use during the work period, which she expected would take five to six weeks to complete.
A pair of benches will be replaced as part of the initial phase, she noted.
The prized boardwalk, a little over 15-years-old, is heavily used and requires upgrades to keep up with demand.
“It has degraded perhaps a little bit quicker than we anticipated. I think a lot of that has to do with the high-volume traffic, the closeness to the ocean, moisture and the conditions.”
Timbers along the 15-year-old boardwalk have worn as a result of high traffic and weather. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)Locally sourced Douglas Fir timber will be used for the project, Tardiff noted.
She said the City has allocated about $50,000 annually to complete the repairs.
Parksville’s waterfront walkway is 4-and-a-half meters wide connecting between the Community Park and base of McMillan St.
The popular recreational amenity is used by joggers, walkers, wheelchair users, people with strollers and cyclists, rollerbladers and skateboarders.
“We see people who use it every single day…it’s a very social area, it’s a mixture of people who use it, it’s truly a multi-purpose walkway,” Tardiff concluded.
A section of the boardwalk along the Parkville waterfront will be closed over the next five to six weeks to allow for much needed repairs. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.
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